Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: Always Have a Ball Gown at the Ready in Celebration of Your Enemy's Demise

[botemp]

Lovers of Parisian style and fashion with a conscious mindset and lots of chatter in between.

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Favoured Parisian addresses:

Second Hand Shops

Outlets

Favoured London addresses:

Charity Shops, Dress Agencies, and Outlets

Favoured NYC addresses:

Consignment shops, Vintage, and Restaurants

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Previous threads:


Un

Deux

Trois

Quatre

Cinq

Six

Sept

Huit

Neuf

Dix

Onze

Douze

Treize

Quatorze

Quinze

Seize

[Redandblue11]

haha, ToyFlo is making an appearance.
I will make all possible effort to check that shop Bo. Actually the stuff that the shop has would be very much on the style of stuff I would see myself wearing, so thanks Bo.
I have tickets now and I will only be there for 3 days . I have till early September to sort out so there is a bit of time.

Yes the white trainers brigade has its own rank, which is not straightforward to me at all , but I do take part in it as I find it so easy.

Maybe some lurkers here have Ibiza outfits ideas?

[microbius]

Thanks, bo, for the youtube link. My French fails me and I miss a lot but it is very interesting nonetheless. Given all the talk about trainers, the two women still have Prada and Chanel shoes.

I've been trying to watch some random influencers' video of people on the street, and it is kind of grotesque, how something that should be about interesting inventive outfits / lengths / vintage / people's interpretation of things are, without an exception, finished by shoes and a bag that total a minimum of 3-4 ££££. Some kind of walking status display / ad. The exception is men! Men are free not to have a chloe/loewe/whatever bag, although Balenciaga shoes are still encountered very often. It's so irritating

Red; for your Ibiza trip, how about white linen shirt and flo's karate linen trousers for the day and short, sparkly, sequin, iridescent dress for partying all night?

[botemp]

There are English subtitles, you just have to toggle them on, it's the CC button (on my mobile I only see the CC button in full screen mode).

Yeah, the street style videos on YT used to be interesting people watching but it's been latched onto by insta types as they garner a lot of views with relatively little effort and it's become a parody of what it was.

Anyhow, the Balenciaga trainers are all fake, or so I'm told. And the bags probably too, Vinted is flooded with high quality reps at the moment, I spend more time reporting all sorts of listings than actually browsing things of interest on there these days.

[mm47]

Love the video - somehow managed to find how to switch on the subtitles so I wasn’t just skimming along getting the general drift. I was thinking about what Sophie Fontanel said (about no longer being able to classify people by their footwear.). But now there’s a hierarchy of trainers! Maybe what she’s getting at is that although brands like Eg Gucci / Giuseppe Zanotti make trainers that cost a bomb, what has changed is that nowadays it doesn’t necessarily mean the wearer is as rich as Croesus, just that they have the cultural equity (I think that’s the term) to choose these, either new or second handand mix with cheaper stuff?

… and the Ibizan shop sells the most beautiful stuff, if only I went on holiday for several months a year to justify them. In my next life…

I love Microbe’s suggestion for you Red. Could another possibility already exist in your wardrobe eg a white tank top and some silk palazzo pants?

I recognise the joy/rising panic of planning outfits - I have a 5 day wedding celebration (!!!) on Menorca in October to plan for 😱

and I LOVE the idea of burying poor Mr Flo and possibly toyboyFlo for being too good at topstitching.I mean not literally but it’s a great gag

[mm47]

Ps just discovered another fabric source for the Parisienne database (if it’s not already been noted)

[mm47]

Sorry Bo Xpost. I’m afraid I couldn’t recognise a fake trainer if I tried!

[microbius]

Thanks, bo, for the subtitles tip! I've been lifted out of linguistic poverty! I've just rewatched it and can I say how amazingly generous, curious, lively Sophie Fontanel's commentary is? There is not a hint of judgement (I'm so used to on mums net or perhaps THE internets), putting anyone down. What a rare thing to see!

[now that the truth has been revealed, it's onward to the dark internets to buy fake balenciaga trainers]

red, in all honesty I picture you in strappy golden heeled sandals and spaghetti strapped sequin dress. (Have the sandals but never seen the dress I am referring to)

[Redandblue11]

I still have not caught up with the video, still playing cool aunt with the teens visiting us.

btw - I am seaside now and the eva birks have been absolutely perfect for seaside activities and getting feet wet when needed. I think Elle recommended them too , so glad I kept them.

micro your outfit idea sounds fabulous to me. But in all honesty I will not be wearing anything with heels, I have been told comfort is of absolute priority to be able to last the night … and nowadays with the democratising of footwear … flat sandals of any type and white trainers are absolutely fine, so I am picturing chunky flat sandals (a very comfortable pair).
The iridescent dress I have now managed to visualise is the dress of my dreams but the ones I find in the second hand internet market will probably make me look like a hooker.
But I think that a beaded mini skirt will do the trick and make me feel more comfortable, something like the attached I have seen on eBay.
The first one is a Zara one that seems to fetch for quite a price … and the second a cheaper river island, you cannot see but it is embroidered with ‘shiny’ stuff …

[Floisme]

I was about to say I'd be tempted to go all Dirk Bogarde in Death in Venice on Ibiza, but I've just googled to remind myself of the look (linen suits and a panama hat) and remembered that the boy he was obsessing over was what... 13? So let's move on. But totally impractical white palazzos that drag on the sand, yes.

I don't think I'd heard about the fabric markets in Montmartre mm47 but then last time in Paris was with small-ish children so it wasn't that kind of trip.

[botemp]

I do hope you're joking micro as aside from reps being a bit sad, it also funds the worst of the criminal world; human trafficking, drug trade, terrorism, etc.

I am not joking about MrFlo though, anyone that has inate topstitching abilities on a domestic sewing machine is surely a witch that must be burned. (Sorry, MrFlo, I'm sure you're lovely).

Yes, I've been to the Montmartre fabric markets. Eh, they're not this mystical bazar as that (talented) writer makes them out to be. It's mostly end of rolls and furniture fabrics. I got some gorgeous linen/silk 50/50 gauze mix there that's waiting for inspiration to strike, I think I paid €15 for a 3 meter piece but it's actually a bit more meters than that. It's the place to go for cheap fabrics (I'm still cursing myself for not buying some off white wool end of roll coupon but it was heavy and bulky and would take up half my suitcase, I should have suffered the inconvenience or more sensibly, posted it home) and it's also kind of nice as it's very Paris of old. I recently reread Le Bonheur des Dames which very much revolves around the drapers trade and its impending extinction so if you want to relive the scenery of that book it's nice to go for that. I generally find the Montmartre area an annoying tourist hellhole but it definitely has its charm.

I could probably draw up a separate address book for Paris fabric and habidashery places but tbh nothing really stands out as a must visit. There's some beautiful shops with €€€€ haute couture fabrics but it's all a bit old fashioned. Then there's a lot of places like Montmartre that trade on being as cheap as possible and it's a real task to unearth a gem.

I think you're more on track with the ethnic boho look Red, I really like the Zara skirt, unfortunately the cheap river island looks a bit sad next to it. I think Ibiza is a bit confusing as you have the disco thumping club part of it and then more hidden are the disco thumping crowd of yesteryear which is a lot of old money hippies that either have a lot of it or very very little that meet up in the oddest places and out party the young disco thumping crowd. Brands worth looking at are a bit of old Isabel Marant, Mes Demoiselles, Ba&sh and the Greek beach/resort brands. I'm sure some Gaucho style things you might already have in your wardrobe would work too.

[botemp]

And, yes, definitely no need for heels.

[Voltefarce]

A few years ago, d’Orsay pumps seemed to be everywhere, and now I can’t find any. If anyone has seen any on your internet travels, any tips gratefully received. Black suede, block heel, round/almond toe, not too high. Not too fussy am I?!

Having accepted that losing my spare tyre is going to take some time, my purchases recently have been limited to cosmetics, shoes (a new pair of bright white Stan Smiths ❤️) and clothes that will still fit when/if I succeed, like “boyfriend fit” shirts.

[timeisnotaline]

That zara skirt looks great red
I must have been halfway through our years in london before I realised you could do family holidays on ibiza, we never got there unfortunately. I have a week up north in a few weeks, planned to be very relaxing with a swim up apartment and I am really hoping it will be decently warm, I want to pack everything floaty and swishy (that I can breastfeed in anyway). In practice I will pare that packing plan back 😬.
volte- have you tried Stuart weitzmann for d’orsay? I think of them as having regularly that profile, possibly mainly because I have the red ones below. A quick google shows a couple, flats though not block heel, see second pic. (Google is also where the pic of mine came up)

[timeisnotaline]

Oh and I cannot really bring myself to care about brand names and trainers. I have some Stan smiths which have not worn as well as I’d like- the top layer is starting to wrinkle/peel so not wowed by that, and that’s my one foray into ‘the trainers everyone else has’, I needed something to travel in Ie comfortable and durable and didn’t have a lot of time so thought they’d be a safe bet.

[Voltefarce]

@timeisnotaline

That zara skirt looks great red
I must have been halfway through our years in london before I realised you could do family holidays on ibiza, we never got there unfortunately. I have a week up north in a few weeks, planned to be very relaxing with a swim up apartment and I am really hoping it will be decently warm, I want to pack everything floaty and swishy (that I can breastfeed in anyway). In practice I will pare that packing plan back 😬.
volte- have you tried Stuart weitzmann for d’orsay? I think of them as having regularly that profile, possibly mainly because I have the red ones below. A quick google shows a couple, flats though not block heel, see second pic. (Google is also where the pic of mine came up)

Oh thanks - they often have Weitzmann on the OUTNET so will take a look there too. Flats would also work.

[banivani]

Unfortunately my son is in more trouble so I’m clocking out for the time being. Enjoy the style and I hope to return ❤️

[Floisme]

Oh I'm sorry to hear that bani. Take care and come back soon, we'll miss you. 💐

[botemp]

Bani, I'm sorry to hear that. We'll be here waiting to chat style or otherwise. Look after yourselves ♥️

[XingMing]

Very sorry to read of your son's troubles bani. I hope you can help him through to emerge unscathed the other side. And we shall all miss you

[Redandblue11]

Sending you good wishes Bani and hoping all resolves soon . Stay well.
I look forward to chat fashion back with you here

[mm47]

💐💐💐for Bsni. I hope you manage to pull your son out of the merde and back onto planet normal without too much grief.. I will miss your caustic wit and am already looking forward to your next post.

[Voltefarce]

Best wishes to you and your son @banivani

[ToEllewithIt]

bani - sorry to hear that he's having a tough time. Hope you both get to the other side of this. Your presence will be missed.

[Floisme]

Here's a post bani might enjoy if she's still managing to read, about wide leg trousers. I've been meaning to say this for a while but I'm obsessed with them all over again. But but but....they've got to be full length.

I still like ankle length if it's a narrow or barrel leg but suddenly (and sorry, look away if you haven't had this moment yet) cropped wide legs look ridiculous, and I don't know what I've been thinking these last few years. Isn't fashion weird?

I'm switching between 2 that I picked up a couple of years ago and somehow had the sense not to shorten and butcher: the linen and rayon ones that I mentioned before when we were talking fabric, which are probably 80s and really fluid and drapy. The other pair are Uterque and much more structured in this quite heavy cotton. I wear one or the other pretty much all the time, whatever I'm doing or wherever I'm going.

They're not bad weather friendly though so, if I'm still as obsessed this autumn I might have to buy some platforms, which I've always liked but not actually worn since I was 19. 😮

[botemp]

I love how you make full length wide leg trousers sound sordid Flo 😂

Fashion is weird I tried on these Magda Butrym jeans when I was in Paris. I really thought I wouldn't like them but tried them on anyway (because, sale and try new things) and was quite taken with a new narrower silhouette. They weren't really barrel or balloon but not straight either, they look vaguely generic almost Chino-like but not really. It had the two useless mini pleats at the waist that with my hip waist differential always just blubs outward like a weirdo otherwise I'd be all evangelical about a new shape too. Now I'm just trying to figure out what this shape was...

I have fully embraced the platform shoes for summer and I'm definitely considering them for winter. I have some very out there Acne Studios boots from their early days when their shoes were much more Avant Garde than now that will fit the bill but I've also been eyeing these very nostalgic ones from a Zara Collab with some model person. No one wants to buy them though which surprised me as the rest of the collab appeared to sell out instantly and I do wonder if they're a little too unchanged from their previous incarnation. But it's probably just the heel, it looks comical now after years of flats reigning.

Is it just me or do we seem to be stuck in this cycle now where seasons are tied to decade revivals. Summer always seem to be 70s and 90s inspired, autumn is 60/70s, winter is a bit of 40/50s and 90s with a brief outing to the 80s and 20s/30s for partywear and spring dressing is sort of non existent. The 00s are sort of slotting in here and there but haven't really found their permanent spot yet. Things are feeling monotonous while it feels like there should be changes. Or that may just be me projecting outwards 🤷